Thursday, 19 December 2013

For both pages I started with plain white cardstock. I used stencil then held it down and took my Versamark pen and drew inside the stencil to get the image. I did one at a time so I could heat emboss and get the pattern I wanted. I used rose quartzes. I also edge my page with vintage photo (rangers). I got 3 different pattern pages to back the picture. I used a flower stencil and with Distress strain - picked raspberry, I added my 2 flowers. with scraps of the same backing paper I cut out banners to make bunting for the top right hand corner and thread it with lilac ribbon. I cut 3 butterflies of different sizes and then placed a diamanté brad into it to hold them in place. I place rhinestones in place to add a bit of glam in both corners of the photo. the flowers are the final touch of elegance.

Started the same - white card stock but this time I placed the stencil over the hole page and then sprayed with Tattered Angels, glimmer mist - Sea Glass. I then used blue paint on my chevron stamp and stamped randomly in the centre of the page. I then used kiwi mesh and stuck it on the right side of the photo and backed the photo in matching paper as the top photo (white & black paper)

when it came to embellishing I tried to use a very little of what I had done at Finnibair's class.

So, I used the gears in the top left hand corner as well as lace flowers and then layered with the zip, button and bits. Used 2 x paper clips on the picture. Again layering with flower lace with gears, brads and clock pieces and then a paper clock which I then in turn sprayed with Mediterranean blue.

I did enjoy exploring new colours with these pages as well as new aspects of my layouts!

Every year my Mom sends me table clothes with different paintings on. They all have an African theme and I do love them as they keep me connected to both my family back in South Africa as well as the country of my birth.

So I decided to do a canvas of one of the pictures... first I needed to make a stencil of the items I wanted which was the African man and lady. I then chose a Zebra and as well as the African pots.

I bought Zebra printed serviettes ( x 10) which I used for the edges of the canvas.

I measured 11cm in from the edge of the canvas and drew a pencil line all around the canvas. I then drew 1cm in towards the edge - that 1cm that I had just measured, I painted black as my boarder around the canvas and my edging of the Zebra stripes. I put masking tape down to get my white boarder. this helped me with my lines. It was important to see that they where straight.

but I kept thinking it wasn't the colour I wanted but the more I applied it to the canvas I began to love this colour. Once the paint was dry I took of the masking tape. I then taped down the stencils of the figures where I wanted them and sponged the paint on through the stencils. My first attempt I did my African figures in Burnt Umber (Chromacryl) but when it came to the grass I did it in raw Umber (Chromacryl). I really didn't like the picture so out came the gesso and I covered the picture and re-did the background colour with the same greens that I had mixed before (helped that I had over mixed) but added colour to my African Figurines and the pots. What I loved about the change is not only did it brighten the picture but it seemed to bring it to life!

Yes less is more so this time I did less grass under their feet and did a Zebra in the bottom left hand side but only half the Zebra so that he doesn't draw your eye away from your African people.

Wednesday, 18 December 2013

"Deck the halls with bells and holly...tra-la-la-la-la" Christmas tree is up and decorated and the fake snow is in the window sills.
Yes I know I been a bit quiet but doing my Xmas book has taken a bit, actually a lot of running around and heaps of cutting....

I found an old hard covered dictionary and measured 1.5cm from the spin and drew my square on the page. I took a metal ruler and my Stanley knife and started to cut through the pages until I reached the back hard cover of the book. You need to make sure that you are cutting to your dimensions or when you are finished it will be skew!I then chose my backing paper (as you would with any layout) and glued it down before gluing the pages down. Once the cover and background paper was glued. I 3D the Christmas tree - I used a lot of foam tape to make sure that there would be NO sag at all with the paper tree. I then glued down the buttons in the places on the back cover as I wanted them. Once I as happy with the layout of the back cover I started to stick the pages down. It took slow work to make sure not to tear apart. Once the pages are glued together leave it to dry for at least a day or so.

Whilst waiting I went to a boot maker and got strips of leather from browns to blacks and he had heaps of different shades but the charcoal black was the final colour that I settled on for the belt on the covered. I also got the gold buckle at this store and was rather happy with my decision. The warehouse was selling a really cheap Santa hat which I was going to cut for the base of the front cover. It wasn't easy to find Red velvet for the cover to finish Santa's suit, but Global fabric's had just what I wanted!! I then stretched the red velvet and glued it down on the inside of the cover. I cut the belt to size and then fit the buckle and made the hole and glued down the buckle in place as not to move once on the book cover. Then chose the spot where I wanted the belt and glued it down. I made sure the belt went around the back of the book as well.

After it was all dry I put red fine glitter on the page edges. Once the glitter had dried I put a layer of modge podge. The Christmas lights I thread it through red wire which I then cut holes in the top of the book and placed in and glued in place so as to stay in place. The chair .... well - it had a mind of it's own, I put glue on the feet and held it down and got all giddy with delight as it was glued in place only to fall over ... I re-glued the chair about 4 times before it stayed in place!! Santa well he just did what I wanted - Glued his feet and he stuck to the book pages!! Gotta love Santa for doing his job...The glue has dried and his on my mantle for all to see...My boys love my book and me I'm rather stoked it work!

About Me

Who am I... I'm nothing with out my wonderful family and friends!! I married the most fantastic man in May,1997. Steve has been my rock and stands beside me no matter what my quirky wants or needs are... We have 2 beautiful boys Travis (15yrs) & Ethan (11yrs). They always bring inspiration into my art work...

I can't call myself an artist, I'm an amateur traveling down the training train to be an artist in a world with many inspiring artists to follow!! Being in New Zealand I've gone from strength to strength and am no longer just doing scrapbooking. Before leaving South Africa I had never discovered the wonderful world of Mixed media or journal... WOW what an amazing new art form and how I have learnt and grown!! Being in New Zealand I have discovered the most talented friends that have helped me grow as a budding mixed media & journal artist... Loving my new home in New Zealand!!

hen I first started I had little to no idea how much I would learn to love this amazing form of art. Yes, it most certainly is an art, it takes talent and yes we all learn from each other no matter how small the detail it is we learn all the time. "Each day we need to learn & gain pearls of wisdom, no matter what we are learning in!" Steve's gran mother uses to say that to me and I will never forget that and in my journaling, scrapping or mixed media I'm always looking to learn something new.

In 2008 we immigrated from Johannesburg, South Africa to uch to my delight I found a store that sold scrapping supplies, so I knew I would be happy! Little did I know just how happy I was going to get:)